Direction signal



Jan. 31, 1933. KQLSTERS 1,895,669

DIRECTION SIGNAL AFiled April 13. 192,7

1 N VEN TOR.

R51/m7 @@M A TTORNEYS.

lPatented `lan. 3l, 1933 UNITED s'rirriez's i JOHN KQLSTERS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNII'AL yP i DIRECTION SIGNAL Application led April 13,

This invention relates to electrical direc-` tion signals for automobiles, and has for an object to provide an improved signal for apprising other motorists of what the driver of the car intends to do. Another object is t0' provide a signal of higher visibility than those in common use. A further object is to provide a signal comprising a moving, intermittently illuminated member which will readily attract the attention of other drivers. A further object is to combine in one neat, compact unit, a stop light, direction signal, illuminated license plate and tail light.

Further objects will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a device embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevation with parts removed to show the interior mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 and,

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the device comprises a casing 10 and a, stop light 11 at its top, a license plate holder 12 therebelow, and

the usual tail light 13, the casing above the tail light being provided at 14 with a. clear glass insert to permit the light to illuminate the license plate.

A semaphore 15, formed of some light but rigid material, extends to the left of the stop light 11. The casing 10 is provided with an aperturel, to permit the stop light, when burning, to illuminate the semaphore so as to heighten its visibility. The semaphore is fixed to a shaft 17 journaled at 18 in the casing 10. Fixed to shaft 17 is a cam 20, to which is attached a flexible band 21, the band being wound on the cam in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The other end of band 21 is connected to the core 22 of an electromagnet 23, so that energization of the electromagnet will cause the cam to rotate, thus rotating the semaphore 15. Cam 20 is so shaped at 24 that the core 22 will have its greatest lever- 5.0 age when the semaphore is in its horizontal 1927. semi No. $3,328.' 'i

position -25,"and may lvalsofle shaped or weighted to vform a c'ounterbalanc'e' for the* l semaphore. VThe movement of"the"sen1aj"f phore is limited Vby stops 26f"and Awhich engage a flat spring' 28 lixedly connected to: the casing by a bracket'3OL The effect of'the spring 28 is not only to arrest the movementy of the semaphore butalso to give itanimi' petus inthe opposite direction, so tli'at by means to vbe described, theA` semaphore "may be oscillated to further heighten'its visibility; Fixed to shaft 17 are two disks 31 and 323i. disk v31 being of conducting f material vandf electrically connected' to the" f shaft, disk beingI of insulating material.'l VDisli`31'7 'is-of slightly greater diameterv thanldisk 32, but is cut away in such a manner as toleavej segments `33 and 34ext'e'nding beyond tlie peripheryiof disk 32. l 'y i 'Y A pair of spring contacts 35,' 36 are a`r"` ranged to contact.`with the peripheriest`o f` disks 31 and 32. The shaft'17 yis connected' through casing 10 and lead 37 witlifone'terminal'of the storagerbattery '318iv Contacts 35 and v36' are connected, by leads 4U fandj"41j, to the vopposite terminalof vsaid: battery, so that when the shaft is rotated into positienf to bring onev of the segments 33,34intoconf' tact with one of the spring contacts,jajcirw cuit is maldethroughy electromagnet 23# Referring to Fig. 6 itwill be seenthat' eleci tromagnet`23 and stoplv light 11 'are conneeted 4 in parallel, so that lwhenever"theel'ectro magnet is energized, the light 11 will burn. A third circuitv 39 'is provided parallel l 50,35* circuits 40 and 41. Circuits 41,4() and 3 )9ff` are controlled by Vswitches designated as'R, L, S, indicating respectivel l, right,jleft, and stop. Switches R and Iijarev 'prefe?ably"` mounted upon or near the steering wheel of` the car, while the switch SA isy controlled' the brake lpedal in knownmanner. "i When the switch Sgis closed',l to indicate: that thedriverintendsto stop',l electro'ma'g-l net 23 and stoplight 11 lare energized", and" the semaphore is drawn toits uppermost''po sition, indicatedfaty 42 in Fig.1^1', an'dheldk there as long as the switch remains closed, light 11 also burning continuouslyfandillun minatng the semaphore through aperture 16. im

. ncid,the other terminal of said solenoid In this position, spring 28 bears against stop 27 which preventsthe semaphore from rotating further.

' the circuit, vand the semaphore drops back to its lowermost signaling position, indicated .at 43.kk This again closes the circuit and the@ semaphore is again raised, the result being that the semapho-re is oscillate'd 'from Fitsy lowermost position to its uppermost position as long-as switch R remains.closed,lthe spring' 28,y assisting inreversing the movement ofthe sem'aphore.-y :During thisoperation light 1,1 alternately ilashes on and oii' with the result thatthe attention of the driver of a follows ingcar is very eiiectively calledv to they sig-` nal.

Y i 'l V".VVhensvvitchsL is closed,asimilar action takes' place, exceptthat, due tothe position said housing, a signal arm'on said shaft, a disc of insulating material secured onsaid shaft, two diametrically disposed conductive shoes formed about the periphery of said disc and electrically connected to said shaft, a

spring linger for cooperation with each shoe and with thel intervening. portions of said disc, yand 4insulated from` said housing, a switch controlled -circuit for each finger, elec-V tro-magnetic means for operating said disc,

said shoes and vcooperating lingers being so related whereby the signal arm is selectively oscillated in twooperative positions by control of the electromagnetic means by the respective spring'linger. y

In teStmOnY Whereof I afHXmy signature. `JOHN KOLSDERS.l

of vsegment thesemaphore only reaches y position 25`when the circuit is broken and the semaphore returns to position 43 and is thereafter oscillated between positions 43 and 5 25 insteadfof between positions 43 andv42.

j From the foregoing descriptionit will be apparent thatadvantagekistaken of the factV that av moving object attracts attention` more readily than astationary object, and this effect isheightened by, the effect of a light Y which? '3,1.t'rnatelyl ii'ashes onl and off tol intermittently illuminate thesemapho-re.

LIclalifir-y ,l '1f In'combinationfwitha signal casing, ar

conductive shaft 'rotatably lmounted in said` casingand ini electrical kcircuit therewith, a, Y

slignal'armi'securedon one end of said shaft,

- a`di'skof:insulating-materialsecured to said shaft, conductive shoes` formed over` thev periphery ofl saiddisc andelectrically connected to s aid shaftfsaidshoes being o f substantial- 1y equal arcuate length,lthe vgap between saidshoes beingg'reateron oneside'thanion they other, diametrically'disposed brushes adapt-v ed to,coo'p'ierate.:withy oneorboth shoes or with'.saidfinsulatingldisk when said disk is moved to various positions, aV solenoid having tliecore thereof` connected t'o rotate said-l disc, a' switch controlleducircuit from each ofjsaid brushes to one terminal of said soley Vbeing 'connectedto vone terminal `of a bai;y tery,the other terminal of said battery bel' 1 ingv-connectedjto'said' casing, said spring .fingers and-f shoes beingso relatedas to se lectively control thesignal larm in two .signalli'ngigpositions to cause oscillationk thereof in the selective position.V v. .1,25 Arlsi'gnal device comprising: a conductive housing, a conductive shaft mounted in IDG ` iin Y Ii125 

